A paper is due to be presented to Woking Borough Council’s executive tonight informing councillors delays have arisen in environmental assessment work needed to take the project at Heather Farm in Chobham Road further. The council says it is necessary to review the assessment in light of Surrey County Council’s published waste plant proposals. These earmarked Martyr’s Lane in Horsell as one of six sites in the county that might be suitable for thermal treatment facilities. Woking Borough Council has a duty to consider all alternative sites to Martyr’s Lane before it is able to submit a planning application there. The council’s project team, which is preparing the assessment, anticipates a report will be published on Heather Farm by December 31 — three months later than originally planned. A timetable for completion of the work, an independent review, public presentations and consideration by the council have been revised and put back by at least two months. An independent review is due to be completed by January and the public will be invited to comment during a series of public presentations. The council will meet to consider the proposals that result from consultation in February. If these are approved, a planning application will be submitted in April. Subject to planning approval, construction work would begin in 2007 and the new plant would be operational by 2009. Cllr Jim Armitage, leader of Woking Borough Council’s executive, said: “We had a meeting of the working group and there are a number of outstanding questions. “We do not see any issues in terms of emissions and we think all these criteria will be met. There are still some issues about traffic movements and the size of the plant. “At the end of the day we want to make sure we have all the information correct before we go to public consultation. “The county council’s proposals identify Martyr’s Lane for a waste plant. That gives us a possible difficulty in terms of submitting a planning application as we need to have considered all alternative sites in the area. “We cannot go out with a half-baked scheme. If you do not have the answers, people will want them. We are trying to get these answers all together. “Having said that, councillors are keen not to have it drag on and we want to have a decision made in principle by February.” Michael Smith, councillor for Horsell East and Woodham, said: “The original timetable was a little ambitious and things have not slipped into place. “Even this revised timetable may not be achievable.” Rob Harris, chairman of the Horsell Residents’ Association, said: “The enormous complexities of this project undertaken by the council is becoming clear. “Some major questions will have to be asked about the viability of the proposals. “The financial nature of the project is such it is already projected to cost £50 million. “It is questionable whether the council should be involved in a project of that scale.”